Is There Such a Thing as “After Training?”

Introduction: The importance of continuous learning

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, continuous learning is critical to employee development and organizational success. Unfortunately, traditional training methods often fail to deliver the necessary knowledge and skills that employees need to thrive in their roles. The second an onboarding or training program ends, most of the knowledge and information new or existing team members have encountered will already be forgotten due to the well-known concept of the forgetting curve. Employees forget up to 70% of the information learned during training within 24 hours of finishing training.

As a result, organizations are beginning to recognize the importance of teaching employees how to find information answers to inbound inquiries, rather than trying to force them to cram the knowledge itself during these short training and onboarding periods. This “after-training” training emphasizes ongoing learning and support beyond the initial sessions. This approach teaches employees how to find and leverage the information they need when needed, ultimately driving higher productivity and job satisfaction.

The challenges of traditional training methods

High turnover in crucial support roles, especially support teams

Traditional training methods face several challenges, including the high turnover rate in key support roles. Customer support centers, for instance, invest significant resources into training new agents, only for them to leave within a short period. This creates a “leaky bucket” problem, as organizations must constantly train new employees to replace those who have left, leading to a continuous drain on resources.

Static training budgets – “do more with the same or less.”

Another challenge is static training budgets, which require organizations to achieve more with the same or fewer resources. This often results in a focus on front-loaded, one-time training sessions that may not be effective in addressing the ongoing learning needs of employees.
Traditional training approaches heavily emphasize the content that new employees will need to rely on to do their jobs. Unfortunately, this method often proves ineffective, as employees are expected to retain large amounts of information, which may not apply to their specific roles or become outdated quickly. If you leave it up to your employee to figure out what is relevant to them and to remember everything, they will at the end of the day remember nothing. This leads to the entire training budget to be a waste and causes bottlenecks at your managers’ desks at the end of the day!

The concept of after-training training

Continuous learning and support using tools and methods – train them on how to find answers, not the answers themselves

The idea of after-training training involves fostering a culture of continuous learning and support within the organization. This approach focuses on equipping employees with the tools and methods they need to find answers to their questions rather than simply providing them with the solutions themselves. This empowers employees to immediately be able to field inbound requests in support roles, evaluate claims and manage requests, reply to questions from different customer channels, and more.

Reducing the burden on initial training

By adopting the concept of after-training training, organizations can reduce the burden on initial training sessions. This allows for a more effective allocation of resources, focusing on providing employees with the skills and tools they need for ongoing learning and development rather than attempting to cram all necessary information into a single, one-time session.

The role of KM platforms like Perdix

Facilitating access to critical information when it’s needed

Knowledge Management (KM) platforms like Perdix enable after-training training by providing employees with easy access to critical information. With its Google-like search capabilities and its ability to filter down information to only the relevant information needed by each user, Perdix allows users to quickly find the answers or reference information they need. As a result, it eliminates the need to sift through irrelevant data or spend valuable time determining which information is relevant to their tasks or inbound requests.

Encouraging continuous learning and development

Perdix also fosters a culture of continuous learning and development within the organization. By offering features such as Annotations, Q&A capabilities, and customizable content sharing, employees can collaborate, share knowledge, and learn from one another. This interactive and dynamic approach to learning helps employees stay engaged and constantly develop their skills and expertise.

Benefits of after-training training for organizations

Implementing after-training training offers several benefits to organizations, including:

• Improved employee productivity: By providing employees with the tools and resources to find information quickly and efficiently, organizations can reduce time wasted searching for answers and increase overall productivity.
• Reduced training costs: Organizations can save money on training and development by focusing on continuous learning and support rather than expensive, one-time training sessions.
• Increased employee satisfaction and retention: Empowering employees to access information and learn on the job can lead to higher job satisfaction and, ultimately, better employee retention rates.
• Enhanced adaptability: Organizations that embrace after-training training can more easily adapt to industry changes, as employees are better equipped to handle new situations and learn new skills.

Conclusion

After-training training represents a shift from traditional, front-loaded training methods to emphasizing continuous learning and development. By adopting KM platforms like Perdix, organizations can empower employees with the tools and resources they need to access critical information and learn on the job. In doing so, organizations can improve productivity, save on training costs, and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Therefore, embracing after-training training is a wise business decision and an investment in an organization’s long-term success and growth.